Googling Some of My Biggest Questions

I'd like to start off my blog post about questions with, ironically, a question:  With the existence of Google, why would you *ever* have the excuse to have an unanswered question?  No more!  I've decided to take a stand against the un-answered-ness.  My wandering musings will be resolved!  So here's some random questions that have been bouncing around my head lately...
 

Q:  Why do people hate Call Me Maybe?  It's such a good song. 

A:  First, can we pause and reflect on the fact that this song has a Wikipedia page?  Amazing.  As far as hating the song goes, some insight is provided by ever-profound website, teen.com as they outline the stages of loving and hating Call Me Maybe.  Very insightful.

Q:  Why are sheer button-down shirts so trendy right now?  They're ugly...

A:  Wearing sheer clothing is always a bit of a risk; it guarantees you'll be the center of attention."  (More)    Meh, no thanks... I'll find another way.

Q:  Why isn't there a coffee cup that you can eat?

A:  There is. (Evidence)

Q:  Why do people always ask where you go to college?

A:  "Whenever someone asks me what college I went to, I instinctively do this trick where I actually fall asleep with my eyes open. It’s amazing!"  (via Thought Catalog)  Not exactly an answer, but I like it.  Very acceptable.

Q:  Why do hedgehogs cost $200?

A:  Hedgehogs are a fairly new kind of exotic pet - they have only been domesticated for 20 years or so. They also are fairly short-lived. Therefore, the population of domestic hedgehogs is very small compared to other pets that have been available much longer.

The gestation period of a hedgehog is about 35 days, and the mother devotes another 5-6 weeks to the babies before they are weaned. Although this means a female could have 4 litters per year, good breeders will only breed them twice per year in order to let them recuperate from the demands of pregnancy and motherhood. Litters are much smaller than those of rodents (4 babies on average), and females are retired from breeding at 2.5-3 years, which means that each female only has around 20-24 babies over the course of her life. The mortality rate of babies is about 30%, so the actual number of babies that are sold is less than that. Hedgehogs are also unreliable breeders. The chances of pregnancy and the number of babies in a litter tends to decrease during fall and winter.  (Source)


Q:  Why, oh why, did I not study abroad?

A:  I thought I'd miss out on something in Kirksville.  And I could write a blog post about this topic alone, but then I stumbled onto this post from a girl, who seems all-to-similar to me (right down to the trotting to southern France part).  And I realized all hope is not lost.

Q:  Why is Chobani so popular?  Everyone at Target eats Chobani.  All the time.

A:  From a business standpoint, Chobani offered a differentiated product in unique packaging, at a lower price point... and then let its consumer define the brand (according to Fast Company).  From a health/taste perspective, Chobani has a richer taste and higher protein content than other yogurts on the market. 

Q:  On a scale of 1-10, how legit is the website Penguins4Sale?

A:  Yes.

Falling back in love (an open letter to running)...

Dear running,

So I was a little bitter.  And maybe you didn't deserve that.

I realize that my snarky-ness these past few months has gotten us nowhere.  But ever since April 15th, things just haven't been the same.

You hurt me.  Like, really really hurt me.  We set off to travel 26 miles together, and by the end of all that, I had absolutely had enough of you.  Maybe we just weren't meant to be.

So I sort of took some time off.  I mean, we still sorta hung out... but it wasn't with the same ease that once floated over us.  When we did spend time together, it was definitely forced.  And I'll be honest, my motives here revolved around having a nice butt and jeans that fit not too tight.

You were a strain, a pain, something I had to do.

It wasn't you, it was me.

But lately I feel myself softening up, and I think I'm starting to understand what you're all about.  You're not just about lacing up special shoes and putting in a set number of miles... you're about connecting to human instinct and exploring new places (literally and figuratively).

And I understand the whole struggle from your point of view... You, you want to be easy to love, but not so easy that you're taken advantage of.  You want to be pursued and worked towards.  If you gave yourself away so easily, you'd lose your prestige.  Yet you want everyone to love you.  I'm sure that must be tough.

But, on the other hand, you can be such a pill.  After we ran the marathon, I was so upset with you.  It took my body a full month to recover, and my heart three times that amount.

You put me through so much.  But you also gave me so much.

So here I am, wanting you back in my life.  I'm falling back in love with you, and I can't wait to embark on a new journey together.  You and I, we can do anything.  And come October 21st, we'll get to celebrate something beautiful.  Thanks so much for not giving up on me.

Much love,

Sarah

Modern Day Classiness

I'm really sad that nobody has ever asks me who my style icon is.  (And I'm not sure why that should come up in normal conversation, but I have an answer prepared in case if it ever does.)  For those of you still wondering, my all-time style icon is Grace Kelly.

I always liked her, but didn't realize how much I liked her until I was able to visit the Princess Grace museum in Monaco a couple of months ago.

The museum was fascinating, archiving Grace's sense of style.  But this woman was stylish in a way outside of what clothes can portray.  Grace Kelly had remarkable class, displayed by her poise and confidence as a woman.  

Grace was born into privilege, had a beautiful acting career, and then married a prince.  A PRINCE.  Not a bad gig, right?  She could have been a total snob if she wanted to.  But her outward beauty was only out-shined by her kind heart. 

My mom recently told me that I have an old soul.  At first, I immediately dismissed the idea of my soul being saggy and wrinkly.  But, mom knows best, and after some consideration, I have to agree.  I do have an old soul.  I have a soul that yearns for "the good ol' days" where women had "class" and men had "gumption".  These concepts were so prevalent that those living at the time didn't realize what gems they truly had. 

Being classy is beautiful.  And there's nothing else that I'd want to be.  I've found that self-respect and a sense of class will get you through any bad day, any bad situation, or any bad feeling.  

What's considered "classy" today may differ slightly than it did 50 years ago.  But I'm a firm believer in pursuing modern day classiness.  

I spent the duration of my 7 mile run (I decided yesterday that I'm training for another marathon. We'll talk about that later.) trying to figure out a definition of "class".  An hour later... still nothing too substantial definition-wise.  

I think better in bullet points.  So here is some of what I came up with. 

Modern day classiness is...

1. Embracing a positive attitude rooted in reality. 
2. Listening genuinely.
3. Welcoming the world around you with consideration and thoughtfulness. 
4. Loving and respecting yourself. 
5. Avoiding negative talk (complaining, gossip, etc)
6. Being happy for and supportive of other people.
7. Learning and questioning as much as you can.
8. Actively seeking out opportunities for personal growth.  
9. Being brave; but not so brave that you think you don't need God, family, or friends. 
10. Possessing Faith, Trust, Fortitude, and Wisdom (love those Cardinal Key virtues)

It's not just about wearing high heels and pearls.  (Although that doesn't completely hurt...)

Stay fabulous, stay classy. 

The End of a [Blonde] Era

Well, it was fun while it lasted.

And it was a really fun 4 months.  Just to name the highlights...

I got into Cardinal Key:

I turned 21:

I went to London for spring break:

I had several good times with a Huge Group of Girls:

I ran a marathon (I wore a hat, but there's blonde hair under there):

I went to Las Vegas:

I went to France:

And I started an internship with Target in Minneapolis:

...And I did this all with my blonde hair.  But it has come time to part ways.  Like I said, it was a good 4 months.  But it's time to get back to my roots (haha literally).  (Plus, brunettes look great with a good tan, and I've been hitting the lake a lot recently).

So a little background on the blonde... Being of Native American, Irish, and Welsh descent, there was about zero percent chance that my genes would line up to give me naturally blonde hair.

However, growing up in the 90's and 2000's, my two childhood idols were Britney Spears and Elle Woods. Both blondes.  And I wanted to be blonde too.

So a couple of days before my 21st birthday, I decided I was going to make it happen.  I was going to "go blonde".  I remember doing a 12 mile training run in the morning before my hair appointment, and the time literally flew by because I kept thinking about my awesome new blonde hair.  Like, my dream was like, totally coming true!

And yeah, it was fun while it lasted.  I'll always remember these last 4 months as the "blonde era" of my life. 

That being said, I LOVE being a brunette.  And it's good to be back :)

'Murica!  And brunette hair!